Device for stacking magnetizable articles



April 14, 1953 L. w. DAVIDSON El AL 2,635,002

DEVICE FOR STACKING MAGNETIZABLE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 21, 1950 Patented Apr. 14, 1953 DEVICE FOR 'STACKINGYMAGNETIZABLE ARTICLES Lawrence W. Davidson, San Mateo, and William W. Maher, San Francisco, Calif., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 21, 1950, Serial No. 202,082

, 9 Claims. l

The present invention relates to a device for stacking and unstacking magnetizable articles such as containers or cans, empty or filled, where they are handled in large quantities such as in storage or in packing box cars or trucks for shipment, and has particular reference to a'magnetic fork which is handled manually for picking up and depositing the cans as desired.

An object of the invention is the provision of a manually operable magnetic fork which-is lightweight in construction and which is adapted to pick up a number of cans at one time arranged in a row to facilitate stacking cans as desired. Another object is the provision of such a magnetic fork which is readily applied to and released in various positions from the cans being transferred.

Another object is the provision of such a magnetic fork which is adjustable for handling cans arranged in stacks of various heights.

Numerous other objects and advantages of. the invention will be apparent as it is better under-' stood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the, drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a device embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away; I

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 2'--2 in Fig. 1, the view showing the device in place on a container, parts of the device and the container being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing how the device is initially applied to a container to be picked up, with parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the device fully applied to the container;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing how the device is released from the container by tilting the device in a downward direction; and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing how the device is released from the container by tilting the device in an upward direction.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the invention the drawings illustrate a manually operable magnetic fork or device for stacking or or unstacking of I unstacking sheet metal containers or cans A. preferably arranged in a single straight line or row of about 16' cans, although the invention is equally well adapted for use with other magnetizable articles and for various arrangements or patterns of assembly other than a single straight row.

The principal structure of the device preferably is made from a lightweight metallic material such as aluminum, magnesium, or the like in order to reduce the over-all weight to facilitate ease in manual handling.

The device in general 'is of T shape and includes an elongated, transversely disposed pickup or lifter head ll (Fig. l) adjustably secured by a bracket 12 to a preferably straight tubular handle I3 of suitable length. Thelifter head II preferably is hollow (see Fig. 2), being made from sheet material, and of rhomboidal or trapezoidal configuration which re-enforces the head and provides it with a shorttop wall section I5, 2. longer bottom Wall section l6 and two tapered or inclined side Wall sections [1, l8 connecting the top wall section with the bottom wall section.

The tubular or hollow lifter head I i is of suffi.'

cient length to bridge across or overlie and seat against a desired number of contiguously located cans A arranged in a straight line or row. In practice the head usually is made to bridge across 16 cans. In width the head I I preferably is narrower than the diameter of the cans. The longitudinal side edges of the bottom wall section 16 provide fulcrums I9, 20 on which the head may be rocked to release the cans from the head as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

At each potential can station along the length of the head ll, it carries a magnet 2| which preferably is a permanent magnet although an electromagnet may be used if desired. These magnets, since there are a plurality of them, one for each can, are arranged in spaced relation in a row extending longitudinally of the head. Each magnet extends in a vertical position from the top wall section l5 of the head, downwardly through an opening 22 (Fig. 2) in the bottom wall section [6 and projects beyond this wall section an amount sufficient to engage against the can or other article to be lifted. In the case of the cans A shown in Fig. 2, the magnet extends down against countersunk panelled can closure mem- 3 bers B when the device is in place on the cans to be picked up. The magnets 2| preferably are held in place in the head I! by nuts 23 which are threadedly secured to reduced magnet shanks 24 which extend through the top wall section i of the head.

The bracket i2 which secures the head H to the handle I 3 is provided with a flat pad 26 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is secured by rivets, belts, or otherwise to the tapered side wall section ll of the head substantially midway of the length of the head so that the head will be balanced with respect to the handle. The pad 26 is formed with a pair of outwardly extending spaced and parallel side plates 21 which straddle the inner end of the handle l3 so that they are disposed in alignment, and to locate the magnets in proper v the bottom wall section H5 or the head.

one on each side of the handle as best shown in Fig. 3. These side plates 2! are pivotally attached to the handle by a pivot pin 28 which extends transversely through the plates and the handle, the ends of the pin being riveted over on the outside of the plates to hold the pin in place.

The bracket I2 may be angularly adjusted relative to the handle l3 by swinging the bracket on its pivot pin 28 and may be locked in such position after adjustment. For this purpose the bracket I2 is provided with a locking bolt 3| (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which extends through arcuate slots 32 formed in the bracket plates 21 intermediate the pivot pin 28 and the operating end of the handle I3. The locking bolt also extends through a spacer sleeve 33 which projects transversely through the handle I3. One end of the bolt is formed with a large head 35 and provided with a washer 36 which may be clamped by the head against the outside of one of the bracket plates 2?. The opposite end of the bolt is provided with a washer 31 and a knurled clamp nut 38, by means of which the bolt may be drawn tight to lock the bracket in L any adjusted position on the handle l3 along the arcuate slot 32.

The lower forward edges of the bracket plates 2'! are cut away or notched to accommodate an angularly shaped locating or gauge element which includes a top plate 4| (Fig. 2). The top locatin plate 4| may be a lateral extension of the bottom wall section it of the head H and extends for the full length of the head. This plate extends upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall section It at a slight angle thereto to clear the fulcrum l9 at the junction of the plate and the bottom wall section. At its outer elevated end the top locating plate 4| is formed with a depending side locating plate 43 which is disposed substantially at right angles to the top locating plate and which when located as in Fig. 4 is spaced from the magnets 2| a distance equal to the distance from the edge of a can to the place desired to be engaged by the magnets. This locating plate 43 extends the full length of the head H and preferably is secured to a pad 44 on the side plates 2'! of the bracket I2.

In operation, the operator gripping the handle l3 of the vdevice tilts the head while approaching a row of cans A and brings the top locating plate 4| into engagement with the tops or top edges of the cans, with the magnets 2| in raised position in substantial alignment with the centers of the cans as best shown in Fig. 4. With the head in this position, the operator slides it toward the cans until the side locating plate 43 engages against the cans. This is the initial engaging and locating step and its purpose is to align the cans in a straight row if they are not While the cans A thus cling to the head II, the entire device with its row of cans may be lifted to transfer the row of cans to a stack or other place of deposit. Such a device is used in building up stacks of cans in railroad box cars or trucks or storage rooms, in which case the cans roll by gravity along a runway leading into the car, truck or room. The cans are picked up in rows directly from the runway, and are stacked as mentioned above. In reverse order, the cans may be initially picked up from a stack in a car, truck or room and placed in a runway for transfer to another place of deposit.

When it is desired to release the row of cans from the device, it is merely necessary to tilt the head H relative to the cans. This may be eifected in two ways, by raising or lowering the handle I3, depending upon the height of the stack or the place of delivery of the cans. When the handle is lowered, as shown in Fig. 6, the head H rocks upwardly on its fulcrum l9 and thus lifts the magnets 2| away from the cans. The entire device may then be readily lifted while leaving the row of cans at the plate of delivery. When the handle |3 is raised to release the cans, as shown in Fig. 7, the head II is rocked upwardly on its front edge or fulcrum 20, i. e. the junction of the bottom wall section It and the side wall section l8. This action raises the magnets 2| away from the cans and permits removal of the device without removal of the cans.

When in building up a stack of cans and the upper rows of the stack get too high, the head may be angularly adjusted to compensate for this change in height, this adjustment being made through its locking bolt 3| as hereinbefore mentioned. In a similar manner when starting a stack, the head may be adjusted to a workable angle by adjustment through the locking bolt 3|.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the part without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers, comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adapted to overlie a row of articles to be lifted, said head having a flat base adapted to seat against the article to be lifted, said lifter head also having a pair of angularly extending locating members disposed in connected angular relation for engagement with adjacent walls of the articles to align the articles and properly position said base over the article row, a plurality of magnets fixed in said head and permanently stationary relative to said 5'. base rorattracting :saidzarticles and for holdin them against said basein azsteady position, and a handle attached to said head for manually lifting said head and the articles clinging thereto for transferring said articles from one place to another.

2. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers, comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adapted to overlie and seat upon a row o'farticles to be lifted, a plurality of magnets carried by said head for attracting and holding said articles against said head, said lifter head having a pair of elongated angularly extending locating plates disposed in connected angular relation for engaging adjacent walls of the containers to align the same and to properly position said magnets relative thereto, a handle attached to said head for manually lifting said head and the articles clinging thereto for transferring said articles from one place to another, and a fulcrum on said head and engageable with the articles and on which said head may be rocked relative to said articles by said handle for withdrawing the magnets from the articles to release the transferred articles from said head.

3. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers, comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adapted to overlie and seat upon a row of articles to be lifted, a plurality of magnets carried by said head for attractin and holding said articles against said head, said lifter head having a pair of elongated angularly extending locating plates disposed in connected angular relation for engaging adjacent walls of the containers to align the same and to properly position said magnets relative thereto, a handle attached to said head for manually lifting said head and the articles clinging thereto for transferring said articles from one place to another, and a pair of fulcrums disposed one along each of the two longitudinal sides of said head and engageable with the articles and on which fulcrums said head may be rocked relative to said articles by said handle for withdrawing the magnets from the articles to release the transferred articles from said head.

4. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers, comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adapted to overlie a row of articles to be lifted, said head having a fiat base adapted to seat against the articles to be lifted, said base including a pair of angularly extending locating plates disposed in connected angular relation for respective engagement with adjacent wall surfaces of the containers to align the same and to properly position said base in overlying relation thereto, a plurality of magnets fixed in said head and permanently stationary relative to said base for attracting said articles and for holding them against said base in a steady position, and a pair of fulcrums disposed one along each of the two longitudinal edges of said base and engageable with the articles and on which said head may be rocked relative to said articles by said handle for withdrawing the magnets from the articles to release the transferred articles from said head.

5. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers, comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adapted to overlie and seat upon a row of articles to be lifted, a plurality of magnets carried by said head for attracting and holding said articles against said head, said lifter head having a pair of elongated angularly extending locating plates disposed in connected angular relation for engaging adjacent walls of said. handle being utilized to manually lift saidhead and the articles clinging thereto for trans? ferring said articles from one place to another.

6. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers. comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adaptedto overlie and seat upon a row of articles to be lifted, a

' plurality of magnets carried by said head for attracting andvholding said articles against said head, said lifter head having a pair of elongated angularly extending locating plates disposed in connected angular relation for engaging adjacent walls of the containers to align the same and to properly position said magnets relative thereto, a bracket attached to said head, a handle pivotally mounted on said bracket so that said head may be angularly adjusted relative to said handle to facilitate positioning of said head on said articles, and locking means for locking said bracket in an adjusted position to said handle, said handle being utilized to manually lift said head and the articles clinging thereto for transferring said article from one place to another.

7. A device for lifting and transferring magnetizable articles such as metallic containers, comprising in combination, a lifter head adapted to engage an article to be lifted, a magnet carried by said head for attracting and holding said article, a handle attached to said head for manually lifting said head, said lifter head having a pair of angularly extending locating members disposed in connected angular relation for respectively engaging adjacent wall surfaces of an article to be lifted to properly position said magnet in lifting relation thereto, and a bracket intermediate said head and said handle and movably secured to said handle to permit movement of said lifter head to engage and disengage an article in various positions.

8. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers, comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adapted to overlie a row of articles to be lifted, said head having a base adapted to seat against the articles to be lifted, a plurality of magnets carried by said head for attracting said articles and for holding them against said base in a steady position, a handle attached to said head for manually lifting said head and the articles clinging thereto for transferring said articles from one place to another, and a pair of connected locating plates projecting from one elongated side of said head and disposed at an angle to each other, one of said plates extending toward said head at an angle to said base, for simultaneously engaging against adjacent angularly disposed wall surfaces of said articles to initially position said head and the magnets carried thereby in an elevated angularly disposed position relative to the articles to be attracted by said magnets, whereby to effect proper lifting relation of the magnets to the articles prior to swinging said handle to move said magnets into article attracting position.

9. A device for stacking magnetizable articles such as containers, comprising in combination an elongated lifter head adapted to overlie and seat upon a row of articles to be lifted, a plurality of magnets carried by said head for attracting and holding said articles against said head, a bracket attached to said head having a pair of spaced and parallel side plates extending laterally therefrom, a pair of locating plates projecting from one elongated side of said head and disposed in connected angular relation for respective engagement with adjacent wall surfaces of the articles to align the same and to properly position said magnets in lifting relation thereto, a handle having one end disposed between said bracket plates and pivotally mounted in said plates, arcuate openings in said bracket plates and locking means connecting said handle and said openings for allowing angular adjustment of said head relative to said handle for stacking articles at different heights and for locking said head in an adjusted position.

LAWRENCE W. DAVIDSON.

WILLIAM W. MAI-IER.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 10 27,376 

